This gene is similar to the MAB-21 cell fate-determining gene found in C. elegans. It may be involved in eye and cerebellum development, and it has been proposed that expansion of a trinucleotide repeat region in the 5' UTR may play a role in a variety of psychiatric disorders. [provided by RefSeq, Oct 2008].
Kim BG, Park YJ, Libermann TA, Cho JY (August 2011). "PTH regulates myleoid ELF-1-like factor (MEF)-induced MAB-21-like-1 (MAB21L1) expression through the JNK1 pathway". J. Cell. Biochem. 112 (8): 2051–61. doi:10.1002/jcb.23124. PMID21465527. S2CID5230907.
Huang ZX, Xiang JW, Zhou L, Nie Q, Wang L, Chen ZG, Hu XH, Xiao Y, Qing WJ, Liu YF, Sun Q, Tang XC, Liu FY, Luo ZW, Liu WB, Li DW (2016). "The Male Abnormal Gene Family 21 (Mab21) Members Regulate Eye Development". Curr. Mol. Med. 16 (7): 660–667. doi:10.2174/1566524016666160824150729. PMID27558071.